DECEMBER 10, 2009 ISSUE
Local Cross-Country Runners Compete in Charlotte Foot Locker Championships
In late November, thousands of participants from as far away as Texas, Puerto Rico and Kentucky competed for the best times around a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) track at the South Regional Foot Locker Cross Country Championships in Charlotte. Watauga High School had twelve athletes who made the journey. Photos by Victah Sailer/photorun.net
On November 28, High Country athletes traveled to Charlotte to compete with athletes from across the South at the McAlpine Greenway for the South Regional Foot Locker Cross Country Championships. The event was part of a larger series of races that seek to determine the premier cross-country runners from various age groups across the United States. This year thousands of participants from as far away as Texas, Puerto Rico and Kentucky competed for the best times around the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) track.
Watauga High School had twelve athletes who made the journey. Of those twelve athletes, Daniel Osborne and Doria Kosmala were selected as All-South Athletes.
“I was very pleased with both the number of participants and their performances,” said Head Coach Randy McDonough of Watauga High School track and field.
“This is just a little something extra we do,” McDonough said of the event. “[The race] is a balance of fun and training and it gives us a chance to step it up going into next year.”
But for Jimmy McAllister, 16, a home-schooled athlete who is not able to compete in regular high school cross-country meets, the Foot Locker race is the most important event of the year. McAllister trained diligently for the Foot Locker race by putting in some long runs at Bass Lake and on the Sunalei Preserve and the training paid off.
“Jimmy began the season running the 5K in 18 minutes and now, to have him check in with a time of 16:30, it just shows what great potential he has,” Coach Dyer, McAllister’s track coach, said. “If he continues improving the way he has this season, if you project that out over the next few years, he could potentially break the 15 minute mark by his senior year and stand a very good chance of competing nationally in the Foot Locker Championship.”
McAllister placed 20th out of a field of strong runners. His time was the second fastest time of any other runner in his age group from North Carolina.
High Country Press recently caught up with McAllister and asked him about his passion for running:
What do you like about cross-country running?
“The thing that I like about cross-country running is that it is a very intensive sport, it takes a lot of drive and motivation, which I really like. It’s also very meditative. When you’re doing the longer runs you kind of get into a rhythm and it’s a very unique feeling.”
How do you stay motivated? Do you run with other people?
I usually run alone. Really, I’d say my competitiveness helps me stay motivated.
As far as competitions, are you able to compete very often?
I’m not able to compete very often. So every race is very important because I’m not allowed to run with the public schools because I’m home schooled.
Tell me about your experience at the Footlocker event in Charlotte?
I enjoyed the race pretty well, the start was a little rough, I got spiked a few times. But other than that it was a great experience.
As far as how you did, were you surprised with how well you did?
I was. I was very surprised. I was expecting more like 16:50, somewhere in that range. When I got to the finish line and heard that I had done a 16:33 I was really happy.
Do you think that it helps coming from a hilly terrain up here?
Definitely. And I think the altitude played a really big role. And it’s because down there it’s much lower and it feels like you can just breathe much more easily.
What do you have planned for the winter and spring?
I think for the winter and spring I’m going to just work on maintaining my fitness, training pretty hard and getting ready for the next Foot Locker race.
For more information, click to www.footlockercc.com.
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